Nickelodeon Asia Adopts Kampung Boy

Nickelodeon Asia is set to air episodes of Kampung Boy, an animated series based on the comic strip by world-renowned cartoonist Mohamed Nor Khalid, known professionally as Datuk Lat. The show, which won the Best Animated Television Series award at the Annecy Int’l Film Festival, will join the broadcaster’s lineup in November.

Produced by Malaysia-based multi-media group Astro All Asia Networks (Astro), in conjunction with U.S.-based Matinee Ent. and pasi (Philippine Animation Studio Inc.) in Manila, Kampung Boy chronicles theadventures of Mat, a nine year old boy who lives in a traditional village tucked away in the lush jungle of Malaysia. The show tackles such themes as loyalty, family and ecology as Mat and his loved ones struggle to maintain traditional values in an ever-changing, technology-obsessed world.

Broadcast arrangements were negotiated by Syahrizan Mansor, director of programming and acquisitions for Nickelodeon Asia with Frank Saperstein, exec. producer/creative director of pasi and Ira Tuffile, manager of Media Sales for the Astro Group.

Lat’s cartoons and comic books have been popular in South East Asia and throughout the world for more than 20 years. For the series, he created the character designs and key artwork, and worked closely with Emmy-nominated producer/director Frank Saperstein to develop storylines and preserve the overall integrity of the franchise. Saperstein was responsible for all elements of production, regularly shuttling between facilities in Kuala Lumpur, Manila and Los Angeles.